1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyboard for use in a computer. Particularly, the present invention relates to a wire/wireless keyboard and a control method therefor, in which the keyboard can be used as a wire keyboard if a main body connecting section of the keyboard is connected to the computer body, and the keyboard can be used as a wireless keyboard if the main body connecting section of the keyboard is disconnected from the computer body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a computer includes a computer main body, a monitor and a data inputting device. The data inputting device is that through which a user can input data. The data inputting device is classified into: a keyboard for inputting letters and special characters, and a mouse, a touch ball, a touch pad and a stick point for inputting a position data of the cursor.
FIG. 1 illustrates the constitution of the conventional wire keyboard. Referring to FIG. 1, this conventional wire keyboard includes: a main body connecting section 17 for connecting the keyboard to a computer body; a key scanning section 15 for scanning the data inputted by a user; a control section 10 for transmitting the inputted data from the key scanning section 15 through the main body connecting section 17 to the computer body, for receiving commands from the computer body through the main body connecting section 17 to execute the relevant functions in accordance with the received commands, and for receiving power from the computer body; and a resetting section 14 for resetting the control section 10.
FIG. 2 illustrates the constitution of the conventional wireless keyboard. Referring to FIG. 2, this conventional wireless keyboard includes: a key scanning section 25 for scanning the data inputted by a user; a resetting section 24 for resetting the keyboard; a battery 21 for supplying an operating power to the keyboard; a control section 20 for transferring the inputted data from the key scanning section 25 to a radio frequency transmitting section 28; and the radio frequency transmitting section 28 transmitting the data from the control section 20 through a wireless route.
In the above described conventional wire keyboard, however, the keyboard has to be connected to the computer body through a connector (a connecting cord or a connecting cable) which has a limited length. Therefore, the keyboard can be used within a certain limited distance from the computer body, this being a disadvantage. Therefore, the desire of a user who wants to install the keyboard remotely from the computer body cannot be satisfied. Thus the computer cannot be operated under the optimum condition in all the operating environments.
Meanwhile, the wireless keyboard has an advantage that it does not depend to the length of the connecting cable. However, it does not meet the desire of a user who prefers a wire keyboard. Further, it has to use a separate battery, and the battery has to be replaced. If a battery is not available, the keyboard cannot be used.
Thus the conventional keyboards cannot be used in a wire/wireless manner. Therefore they cannot satisfy the different desires of users under different operating environments. Therefore, they caused considerable inconvenience and limitations.